June is rapidly approaching, and with the warmer weather comes the opportunity to show appreciation to some of the most important men in your life. Father’s Day is a special holiday that allows sons, daughters, and wives to show their fathers and husbands how much they are loved. An excellent way to have your children show their love for their father or for your father is to help them make one or more Father’s Day crafts.

Nothing means more to a dad than receiving a gift that is thoughtful, practical, and sincere. It does not have to be expensive or flashy. Think of the best gifts that you have received on Mother’s Day. They were probably all quite inexpensive, yet very sweet. All you really wanted was something that showed that your kids and your husband care about you. While a diamond necklace will always be accepted, it is certainly not expected! The same rules apply to Father’s Day. Fathers do not expect anything that is too extravagant. Some of the best gifts are simple and well planned. Below are several Father’s Day crafts that are guaranteed to win over your husband or father’s heart. They are all simple, fun, and meaningful. In short, they are everything that a caring gift should be.

Chip Off the Old Block

This craft is easy to do, yet highly creative. Find yourself a few blocks of wood. Sand then down so that they are nice and pleasant to touch. Chip a corner off each block. You may want to varnish them at this point to further improve the craft’s appearance.

Once the blocks are fully dry, write “a chip off the old block” on one side. On the other side, glue a picture of one of your children. Then write the child‘s name on the chipped piece of wood and carefully glue it to the top of the block. Having your young one decorate the block for Dad is a nice touch. This special craft will serve as a reminder to your entire family that you are all a part of each other.

Key Keeper

If your fathers are like most men, they probably spend a good chunk of their time searching for their lost keys. You and your children can create a key keeper that will allow Dad (and anyone else who has a knack for losing keys) to keep them in one place.

You will need the following items: a 2 1/2 by 12" pine board, a few flat wooden spoons, 2 picture hangers, markers, glue, yarn, and some screw-in hooks. Simply attach the picture hangers to the pine board. This will serve as an excellent means by which Dad can hang his key keeper.

Next, have the children decorate the spoons. The idea is to make each one look like a particular member of your family. This will result in tons of fun, as your kids will be able to poke fun at each other as they attach yarn for hair and buttons for noses. They can also use some of those silly googly eyes. The cool part is that there is no set way to do them. Let your kids be creative while they have fun.

After you have created all of your family members, simply glue the handle of each spoon to the back of your board. Make sure that each member is evenly spaced apart to avoid clutter. Wait for the glue to dry and then screw your hook into the board, directly underneath each member.

You now have a fully functioning key keeper! Dad will definitely appreciate the effort and usefulness of this project, and it may well end up being one of his favorite Father’s Day crafts.

My Favorite Thing Gift

This special item will end up being a favorite of Dad’s. All you need is a shoebox, a mirror, paint, and glue. To get the ball rolling, paint the outside of the box. You and the children can also decorate the box as you see fit. Glue your small mirror to the bottom of the box, on the inside.

You can then create a card that will be glued to the bottom of the box top. Write something to the effect of, “The person looking at this is my favorite gift.” Creatively wrap the box as you like, and then enjoy. Dad will be thrilled with both the design and the message of his special “favorite thing box”.

Father's Day BookAnother in a series of fun Father’s Day crafts is a Father’s Day book. You want to make the front of the book look like a dress shirt and tie. Find a 12" x 18" piece of construction paper and some white paper. Cut the white paper down to approximately 7" x 9."

Next, fold the construction paper in half, making sure that you keep the fold on the top. Cut a 4" slit on both sides of the card, approximately one inch down. Take the resulting flaps and then fold them down diagonally to make the shirts’ collar. Glue the ends to the card, making sure that they are on there as securely as possible.

This next part is when you and your kids can really get creative. Use anything that can be used to draw and color - crayons, markers, colored pencils - to complete the design of the shirt. To make the tie, cut a small piece of construction paper or other material. Decorate the tie with either stripes or a number of different colors.

Then staple a few 7" x 9" sheets of paper between the covers. Write "My Dad is the best because..." Also, include a picture of your kids and Dad, or have them draw one. Have your children decorate each of the following pages with images that show why Dad is so very special.

This is one of the most challenging Father’s Day crafts, but it will be well worth it when you and your children see the look on Dad’s face as he discovers all of the reasons why his children adore him.

Tremendously Terrific T-shirtsThis is always one of the most beloved Father’s Day crafts. Find a plain white T-shirt in Dad’s size. Make the front of it a smooth surface by placing a piece of cardboard inside it. Next, tape some construction paper over the center part of the front of the shirt.

The next part is the potentially messy part, and the one that your kids will most enjoy! Pour several colors of fabric paints into a suitable container. Press your child's hand into each of the colors. Follow that by having him or her randomly make handprints on the front of the shirt.

Once the paint has dried, you can take the paper from the shirt. Use some fabric paint to write something similar to "The Best Dad - Hands Down!" in the remaining space. Be sure to do this at least a couple of days before Father’s Day, as the shirt will require a sufficient amount of time for drying.

Father’s Day crafts are a great way to show Dad that you and your children love and care for him. By being creative and thoughtful, you demonstrate to your children the true reason why we give gifts to each other.

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